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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: key · racket · file · branch · board · ruler · hand · nail

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. board — a committee
  3. file — a document
  4. hand — help
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. hand — in cards
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. board — to get on
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. key — the most important part
  12. key — in music
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. key — for a lock
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. branch — a division
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. file — a tool
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. file — a line of people

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com